Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D,B.C.S.A.,DAPA.

Friday, August 27, 2010

The International Center for Humane Psychiatry is an emancipatory movement for human rights in the mental health system. By becoming an affiliate, you will be helping to provide drug free, empathic psychotherapy for those who are disadvantaged, helping to fund important research and publications, and advancing the cause of a humane mental health system. Affiliates can donate in any amount they feel they are able, those who donate $40 will receive a copy of THE MEETING OF TWO PERSONS: WHAT THERAPY SHOULD BE.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Look at her eye, that was wide open and wild, as Ligeria, the priestess of the Chinese albino golden star walked along the beach of Hahei, behind her the Pa, casting its shadow on her, and see her gowns fluttering with the wind, and her hair, also wild, and her skin, white, milky and pale, shining in the night. The moon reflected in the ocean, illuminating the night, and Ligeria was beautiful, full, and enchanting.

Look at her eye, and know her. Know her as the one of the Pa, the one of Hahei, its spirit, and know it to be white. Who is the mystery of the Pa? Know it to be a white mystery; know it to be Ligeria, in her name Pandora, the source of the Pa.

The Pa opens, revealing the holy products of Pandora, her box, and see the souls of Anesidora.

Look at the Pa, the eye of Hahei, and see it full like the moon, and know Ligeria as the ancient playwright of Hahei, the woman of the Pa.

Look at her eye, as she sees Michael walk towards her and wrap her in his arms.

Look at his eye, the eye of Michael Mathew, as he stares lovingly into Ligeria’s eyes, and know him as the man of the Pa, the soul of Hahei.

“You have to live, I have to die, we have to be together,” spoke Ligeria.

Look at their eyes, that were wide open and cut as they met for the last time, in a tryst, their heart strings pulling wide eyed and open. Their eyes are one eye, and it is the Pa, and was their last sight, as they were sentenced to death and beheaded on the beach of Hahei.

Look at his eye, and her eye, and know their deaths, and know them as the soul of Hahei, and know forever more they will be in the Pa, and of the Pa, and always from the Pa.

Look at the Pa, it is the eye of Horus, and looks out to you, inviting you in, and you go, and look at your eye now, it is the eye of the dead.

Saturday, August 07, 2010

I have found Northeastern Pennsylvania (particularly Wyoming County) to be a beautiful place in regards to scenery but sadly a place of much filth and corruption politically. Few in power appear to learn their lessons. I was very pleased to see that the American Civil Liberties Union won its suit against Wyoming County, but this has not really cleaned up the Juvenile Probation Department there, how Child Protective Services operates, or anything else for that matter, it remains status quo. Below, is an article regarding the ACLU settlement as well as my past article on the Luzerne County judges and the Cash for Kids scandal. In this, I examine the larger problem, of how we are not truly meeting our children's needs and it appears that abuse of power and greed remain rampant in the minds of the public officials in this area. I hope that many will continue to speak out, but beyond this, it is necessary for young people to be empowered to challenge these abuses that directly impact them and their future.

(Dr. Edmunds) is a man of high integrity. He is firm in his convictions and not easily swayed by political pressure or public opinion... Dan is also a very clear thinker and writer. And shows plenty of initiative. I especially admire his devotion to defending and supporting the spirited nature of our young people. I know he has a wealth of experience working with people, and I know he communicates his ideas well. He is not a closed system, but able to listen and open to new ideas.

-John Breeding, Ph.D., psychologist and author of the "Wildest Colts Make the Best Horses" and founder of Texans for Safe Education

I think (Dr. Edmunds') insights are RIGHT ON and deserve a place in canon psychological, growth, and child development texts. The patterns described and the reactions I experienced, and have witnessed others experiencing, could not have been more accurate and profound. I think a great goal would be entirely replacing the DSM with the patterns and reactions you observed because those present dilemmas that can actually be nurtured and solved.

-J.K.

"I have been very impressed with (Dr. Edmunds') work ethic and clinical skills...He has an innate ability to connect with many families and help them through multiple complicated issues."- F.A. Bresser, L.S.W.

(Dr. Edmunds) is bright, thoughtful, often wry, and utterly responsible."

I wish you every success with your important work for those unfortunate enough to be labeled 'mentally ill'. So many of us have been guinea pigs because the medical profession have made diseases which do not exist out of human problems in the pursuit of profit.It is good too to hear you and your organization exist.

In support and solidarity,

Mary MaddockMindFreedom Ireland

MIND FREEDOM IRELAND

Dear Dr. Edmunds:I agree with you- many of the problems we see around us are either 'societal' or 'systems' problems. However I also believe, very strongly, that individuals have a huge responsibility in resisting some of the temptations on offer and behaving ethically. In countries like mine, where there are virtually no checks on physicians and corruption is the norm, this is a huge problem. I would be happy to collaborate with you in any way I can. Perhaps we can think about some ideas how to take this forward. You would be most welcome to make a presentation at our university- whenever the opportunity arises. In the meantime, let's keep the dialogue going. I am attaching another one of my articles that you may find relevant.

DR. EDMUNDS' ESSAY PUBLISHED IN THE AAINA JOURNAL OF THE CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY (BAPU TRUST FOR RESEARCH ON MIND AND DISCOURSE), PUNE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

BIO-PSYCHIATRY ILLUMINATED- THE ADHD REPORT (featuring the work of Dr. Dan L. Edmunds)

FEEDBACK FROM CLIENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHERS

# EUROPEAN-AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

DR. EDMUNDS' INTERVIEWS ON VARIOUS RADIO PROGRAMS AND IN THE NEWS

Dr. Edmunds presented on the work of the International Center for Humane Psychiatry and the impact of current mental health practice on children on August 20, 2008 on the program THE MENTAL HEALTH EDGE WTAN-AM RADIO in Clearwater, Florida.

LISTEN TO PROGRAM

Dr. Edmunds was a presenter on the TALK OF CONNECTICUT WRDC-AM RADIO in Hartford, Connecticut on July 21, 2008 at 2:30pm addressing issues of informed consent and human rights in the mental health system.

Published: Thursday, January 29, 2009 Updated: Thursday, January 29, 2009 6:08 AM EST Editor: It is a positive development that Luzerne County Judges Mark A. Ciavarella and Michael T. Conahan are being brought to justice for their actions in profiting from placing youth in detention facilities.

However, it is necessary for us to examine the problems inherent with residential and detention facilities themselves. In these settings, youth are placed often under conditions that lead them to further emotional distress. The decisions to place children is often not based on a genuine interest in the child�s best interests, but what will be profitable and the easiest way out of having to actually rehabilitate youth and meet their emotional needs.

It is no wonder that the socio-economically disadvantaged youth are the ones that are so frequently seen in this system. How does placing a child into a detention center or residential facility, which often is geared toward the concept of staff forcing conformity through rewards, punishments and often deprivation, teach a child who seeks to use power inappropriately that this is wrong?

How does a militaristic system teach anything but that children must submit to someone stronger than themselves? It only reinforces wrong ideas about power and domination.

These facilities are bound to create new emotional problems for these children. But the system profits here, as well, because then they are able to label and drug the children and make money in the process of billing for this injustice.

A youth is removed from the home, programmed, and when they conform to the expectations, released back to the setting that led to their distress and misbehavior to begin with. It becomes a vicious cycle.

These facilities are also very costly and their efficacy is questionable. The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law noted the ineffectiveness of these facilities in treatment of youth as well as the many documented abuses that occur in such places.

Community-based options have proven effective and need to be more readily available and implemented.

We need to shift our focus to true rehabilitation and to addressing actual social problems, not locking our children away, drugging them into submission, and ignoring their needs.

DAN L. EDMUNDS, Ed.D.TUNKHANNOCK

Wyoming County settles with ACLU over legal fees in sexting casePublished: June 23, 2010

TUNKHANNOCK - The Wyoming County commissioners agreed Tuesday to a $140,000 settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union over legal fees the organization incurred in a sexting case, county solicitor James Davis confirmed.

The dispute over legal fees began after the commissioners' decision in April not to appeal a March U.S. Circuit Court ruling that blocked felony charges against a teenage girl for possessing what then-District Attorney George Skumanick Jr. claimed was a sexually explicit photograph of herself on her cell phone.

"None of us are real happy over this," Mr. Davis said.

Because the ACLU was the prevailing party in a civil rights action, it is entitled to recoup its expenses, he explained. What the county took issue with, Mr. Davis said, was the amount.

Efforts to reach the ACLU on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The final figure was reached after more than a month of negotiations. Mr. Davis said the agreement has already been signed by ACLU attorney Witold Walczak.

He was reluctant to settle for even that amount with the ACLU, but to pursue the matter any further might have been more costly, Mr. Davis said, adding that the ACLU could continue to tack on expenses it incurred during any additional legal challenge.

Under terms of the agreement, the county is to pay the ACLU $70,000 within 30 days, with the balance to be paid by Jan. 30. The commissioners said the money to pay the settlement will have to come from the county's general fund.

Mr. Davis said it's unlikely the county will be able to recoup any of the money. He noted that the Pennsylvania Counties Risk Pool, or PCoRP, agreed to pay the county's legal fees during the appeal. However, PCoRP took the position that the county is not eligible to recover attorney's fees through a claim.

PCoRP is a liability insurance program run by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. It serves 44 of the state's 67 counties.

Mr. Davis said because Mr. Skumanick was acting as an agent of the county, the county as a whole is responsible for costs incurred in the matter.

That's true, he noted, even though the commissioners have no control - and don't want control - over the district attorney's actions.

"We don't want control over the district attorney and who he prosecutes. But since he is a county official, we're responsible for the expenses," Mr. Davis said.

Mr. Davis noted that in theory, the county could have appealed the Circuit Court's ruling, but there was no guarantee it would prevail. He said after Mr. Skumanick was replaced in the November 2009 election by Jeff Mitchell, the new district attorney decided not to pursue the matter any further.

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds has pioneered drug free, relationship and community based programs for persons undergoing extreme states of mind ('schizophrenia', 'schizoaffective', "bipolar), troubled adolescents, and victims of trauma. Dr. Edmunds also has worked extensively with autistic and developmentally children and adults and developed the Northeastern Pennsylvania Regional Autism Acceptance Project. Dr. Edmunds profile with links to recent radio and television interviews can be found at:

Dr. Edmunds' main focus is on creating a safe environment of empowerment where suffering is not avoided but is realized as part of the human condition and the person is supported. Dr. Edmunds seeks to encourage dignity, autonomy, and self determination.

About Me

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds is a graduate of the University of Florida. He received a Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Scranton and received his Doctorate of Education in Community Counseling from Argosy University of Sarasota. Dr. Edmunds
is a noted existential psychotherapist in practice in Northeastern Pennsylvania, having worked with children, teens, and adults. He is Board Certified in Sexual Abuse Issues through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Dr. Edmunds has been a guest on local and nationally syndicated radio programs and has been a presenter at numerous professional conferences.
Dr. Edmunds has been a critic of the bio-psychiatric paradigm and advocated for a more humane and dignified mental health system. He strongly supports human rights in the mental health field. He consults with children, families and adults undergoing serious emotional distress and extreme states of mind using a relationship based approach. His website can be found at http://selfgrowth.com/experts/dan_edmunds.html
To consult with Dr. Edmunds, you may e-mail the International Center for Humane Psychiatry at
batushkad@yahoo.com

BOOKS BY DR. DAN L. EDMUNDS

Meeting of Two Persons; Mystical Metaphors; They Say My Child Has "ADHD"

DR. DAN L. EDMUNDS

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds has pioneered drug free, relational, and community based approaches for persons undergoing extreme states of mind and has been involved in autism acceptance. Dr. Edmunds is the author of THE MEETING OF TWO PERSONS, a dynamic text detailing the social, familial, and political processes that lead to emotional distress. He is also the author of MYSTICAL METAPHORS which makes the experience of 'psychoses' understandable and discusses the need to 'journey with' persons undergoing distress. Dr. Edmunds is a social activist and researcher. He is Director of the Critical Psychology Certificate Program at EAU and the Founder of the International Center for Humane Psychiatry.

Dr. Edmunds has developed a low fee clinic in Northeastern Pennsylvania to make compassionate, empathic therapy accessible and to offer alternatives to often toxic psychiatric drugs. Dr. Edmunds has alterted to the dangers of psychiatric drugs and advocated for a more humane mental health system. In 2006, he founded the International Center for Humane Psychiatry, an emancipatory movement for human rights in the mental health system. Dr. Edmunds is a contributor to the Psychology Today and Mad in America websites and has frequently been interviewed on radio and television.

Dr. Edmunds completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida receiving a BA in Religion with minor in Sociology. He received his Master of Arts from the University of Scranton. He completed post-graduate coursework in Dispute Resolution via Nova Southeastern University and earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of Sarasota. Dr. Edmunds is Board Certified in Sexual Abuse Issues via the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is a Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association.